Somali journalist shot dead in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU - An unidentified gunman shot dead a local TV reporter in the Somali capital Mogadishu, TV station officials said on Sunday.

The well-known reporter, Abdisalan Sheikh Hassan, better known as Hiis was shot dead by a gunman dressed in Somali government military uniform at a busy street in the capital Mogadishu, Hamdi Hussein Farah, Director of Horn Cable TV station's Mogadishu office.

"We don't know who the gunman was but he was dressed in (Somali) government military uniform. He just left the scene after shooting our colleague in the head," Farah told Xinhua.

The TV official said that there were no arrest for the killing of the journalist and the Somali government has not so far commented on the incident.

A number of reporters have been killed in the past few years in Mogadishu in similar circumstances.

Earlier in the year, a Malaysian journalist was killed after African Union peacekeeping troops based in Mogadishu opened fire on his vehicle as he filmed a convoy of aid trucks to famine displaced people in camps in Mogadishu. The forces later apologized for the killing and vowed to bring those responsible to court.

Somalia seen as one of the worst places for journalist to operate has been the scene of almost dozens of such attacks on local reporters.

No groups have claimed responsibility for the killing of the journalists in Somalia as the warring sides often distance themselves from the attacks.